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Vivae omnium fere imperatorum imagines

Author: Hubert Goltzius (Netherlandish, 1526–1583)
Illustrated by: Hubert Goltzius (Netherlandish, 1526–1583)
Cut by: Joos Gietleughen (Netherlandish, 16th century)
Printer: Gillis van Diest (Netherlandish, 16th century)
1557
Place of Publication: Antwerp, Belgium

Medium/Technique Illustrated book with chiaroscuro etched and woodcut title page, 131 chiaroscuro etchings with woodcut, 16 blank etchings
Dimensions Overall: 30.5 x 23.4 x 4 cm (12 x 9 3/16 x 1 9/16 in.)
Credit Line Bequest of W. G. Russell Allen
Accession Number64.395
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsIllustrated books
Antwerp: Gillis van Diest, 1557

Catalogue Raisonné Brunet II, 1653-54; Hollstein, Dutch and Flemish, VII, p.201, nos. 1-134; VIII, p. 139, no. 1; Bialler, Chiaroscuro, 2
Description(Antwerp: Gillis van Diest, 1557) Folio; 171 leaves; modern half vellum, decorated paper boards, gilt-stamped red leather labels.

Ornamental title border with author portrait; three-color illustrations of antique medallion portraits of emperors. First edition, in Latin; there were two more editions in German and Italian issued the same year (MFA owns copy of German ed.: KBR316). Originally supposed to contain 148 medallion portraits of 155 emperors and empresses, but only 131 completed by this time. The illustrations were based on antique and modern portrait medals. It is thought that Goltzius etched the outline plates (printed in black) himself, while van Mander attributes the cutting of the blocks to Joos Gietleughen. The "two-tone" woodblocks were printed in ochre and brown and olive and green, varying through the edition. See Bialler for more information.

This copy lacks the double "Concordia" plate of Philip and Maximilian on fol. D [sic, for Dd]2, present in other MFA copy (22.1065).

The MFA owns another copy of this edition (22.1065), one of the 1557 German ed. (KBR316), and three copies of the 1645 ed.
ProvenanceW. G Russell Allen (b. 1882 - d. 1955; cf. Lugt 3593), Boston; 1955, bequest of Allen to MFA . (Accession Date: April 8, 1964)

Note: Ownership [?] inscription on title.